Fat transfer in Korea: breast, face and body

Fat transfer is about how much survives

When fat cells are moved, their old blood supply is cut. They have to take oxygen and nutrients from the tissue around them to survive. Some fat takes, and some is absorbed during recovery, so the amount injected is not the amount that stays.

Packing a lot of fat into one space can leave part of it without enough contact with healthy tissue. Dr. Im places fat in small portions, in several layers and directions, to widen that contact area. He sees fat transfer as a skill of placing fat, not just putting it in.

Survival depends on how the fat is harvested and prepared, how it is spread, the condition of the receiving tissue and recovery habits such as smoking. The clinic gives a typical range of about 60 to 80 percent, but it differs from person to person, so no single figure can be promised for you.

Breast fat grafting

With an implant you can plan around a set volume such as 300cc or 350cc. Breast fat grafting is different: it builds the volume that finally survives. As a rough guide only, about 150cc of change on one side can feel like roughly one cup, but chest width, existing tissue, breast base and band size all change that, and not all injected fat survives.

Fat grafting suits upper breasts that look empty after childbirth, breastfeeding or weight loss, or naturally thin upper tissue. The aim is a curve that starts under the collarbone and runs smoothly to the nipple and lower breast. Too much volume in the lower breast can make a slightly sagging breast look heavier, so the upper, inner, central and lower parts are planned separately.

Cleavage depends on the rib cage, where the breast starts and where the chest muscle attaches. Adding a lot of fat on the inner side does not give everyone the same cleavage, so Dr. Im judges how much is natural for your anatomy.

Fat grafting and implants are not rivals. In slim patients, an implant can build the base volume and fat can soften the edges, smooth the upper breast or even out small left-right differences.

Why a staged second graft can help

The two breasts are never identical in tissue, skin, rib cage or blood flow, so fat may not survive at the same rate on each side. A small difference can appear even if both looked similar before surgery.

For larger volume goals, Dr. Im prefers to graft in stages rather than force too much fat in at once. After the first session he checks how much survived, any left-right difference and which area needs more, then refines it in a second graft.

Face fat grafting

Face fat grafting fills hollow areas such as the forehead, temples, cheeks, front of the cheekbones, nasolabial folds and chin with your own fat to give natural volume and a more youthful look.

The clinic uses a fat-grafting method developed in Korea that aims for volume that lifts rather than drags the face down. Fat is placed layer by layer with the whole face's proportions in mind, so the face does not look overfilled and expressions stay natural.

Body fat grafting and donor fat

On the body, fat is grafted to areas such as the pelvis and hip dip to build a softer, more connected line. When this is combined with liposuction of the waist, it becomes the clinic's Golden Ratio Pelvis program.

Because your own fat is used, the amount you can spare shapes the plan. Fat is usually taken from the abdomen, flanks or thighs. Slim patients can often still have fat grafting, but a very low body-fat level may limit how much can be harvested naturally.

No smoking around fat grafting

Nicotine narrows blood vessels and reduces blood flow to tissue, which works against grafted fat trying to establish a blood supply. Avoid smoking before and after fat grafting, including e-cigarettes and other nicotine products. Dr. Im repeats this several times at consultation, and asks patients to stay away from cigarette smoke as well.